I’m not sure if this counts as an existential threat, but I’m more concerned about a biowar wrecking civilization—enough engineered human and food diseases that civilization is unsustainable.
I can’t judge likelihood, but it’s at least a combination of plausible human motivations and technology. Your tech is plausible, but it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting not just to wipe out the human race, but also to do such damage to the biosphere.
There are a few people who’d like the human race to be gone (or at least who say they do), but as far as I know, they all want plants and animals to continue without being affected by people.
There are definitely people who would destroy the whole world if they could. Berserkers, true nihilists, people who hate life, people who simply have no empathy, dictators having a bad day. Even a few dolorous “negative utilitarians” exist who might do it as an act of mercy. But the other types are surely more numerous.
I’m not sure if this counts as an existential threat, but I’m more concerned about a biowar wrecking civilization—enough engineered human and food diseases that civilization is unsustainable.
I can’t judge likelihood, but it’s at least a combination of plausible human motivations and technology. Your tech is plausible, but it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting not just to wipe out the human race, but also to do such damage to the biosphere.
There are a few people who’d like the human race to be gone (or at least who say they do), but as far as I know, they all want plants and animals to continue without being affected by people.
There are definitely people who would destroy the whole world if they could. Berserkers, true nihilists, people who hate life, people who simply have no empathy, dictators having a bad day. Even a few dolorous “negative utilitarians” exist who might do it as an act of mercy. But the other types are surely more numerous.